Multi-Level IVR

A multi-level IVR extends the standard IVR menu by adding nested layers of options. Callers navigate through a hierarchy of menus to reach the right department, service, or information. While a single-level IVR offers one set of options (e.g., "Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support"), a multi-level IVR provides sub-menus under each option.

Single-Level vs. Multi-Level IVR

Single-Level

"Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support"
    → 1: Connect (Sales)
    → 2: Connect (Support)

Multi-Level (2 Levels)

Level 1: "Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support"
    → 1: Level 2: "Press 1 for New Inquiry, Press 2 for Existing Order"
        → 1: Connect (New Sales team)
        → 2: Connect (Order team)
    → 2: Level 2: "Press 1 for Technical, Press 2 for Billing"
        → 1: Connect (Tech support)
        → 2: Connect (Billing team)

Multi-Level (3 Levels)

Level 1: "Press 1 for Products, Press 2 for Services"
    → 1: Level 2: "Press 1 for Electronics, Press 2 for Appliances"
        → 1: Level 3: "Press 1 for TVs, Press 2 for Phones, Press 3 for Laptops"
            → 1: Connect (TV support)
            → 2: Connect (Phone support)
            → 3: Connect (Laptop support)
        → 2: Connect (Appliance support)
    → 2: Level 2: "Press 1 for Installation, Press 2 for Repair"
        → 1: Connect (Installation team)
        → 2: Connect (Repair team)

When to Use Multi-Level IVR

Scenario	Number of Levels	Example
Small business with 2-3 departments	1 level	Sales, Support
Mid-size business with specialized teams	2 levels	Department > Sub-team
Large enterprise with many products/services	2-3 levels	Category > Product > Issue type
Multi-language support	2 levels	Language > Department
Multi-region business	2 levels	Region > Department

warning

Limit your IVR to a maximum of 3 levels. Research shows that caller satisfaction drops significantly with each additional level. If you need more than 3 levels, consider using smart routing instead.

Building a Multi-Level IVR in Exotel

Step 1: Plan the Menu Structure

Map out every level, option, and destination before building:

Root
├── 1: Sales
│   ├── 1: New Inquiry → Connect (New Sales)
│   ├── 2: Existing Order → Connect (Orders)
│   └── 3: Partnerships → Connect (BD team)
├── 2: Support
│   ├── 1: Technical → Connect (Tech L1)
│   ├── 2: Billing → Connect (Billing)
│   └── 3: Account Issues → Connect (Account team)
├── 3: Information
│   ├── 1: Business Hours → Greeting (hours info) → Hangup
│   ├── 2: Office Location → Greeting (address) → Hangup
│   └── 3: Website → SMS (URL) → Hangup
└── 0: Speak to Operator → Connect (Receptionist)

Step 2: Create the Call Flow

1. Open the Flow Builder in App Bazaar.
2. Add a Greeting applet for the welcome message.
3. Add an IVR Menu applet for Level 1.
4. For each Level 1 option that needs a sub-menu, add another IVR Menu applet for Level 2.
5. Connect each Level 2 option to its destination (Connect, Voicemail, Greeting, etc.).

Step 3: Configure Level 1 IVR

• Prompt: "Welcome to Acme Corp. Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support, Press 3 for Information, or Press 0 for an operator."
• Key mappings:

Key	Routes To
1	Level 2: Sales sub-menu
2	Level 2: Support sub-menu
3	Level 2: Information sub-menu
0	Connect (Receptionist)
Timeout	Repeat Level 1 (max 2 retries)
Invalid	"That is not a valid option" → Repeat Level 1

Step 4: Configure Level 2 IVR (Sales)

• Prompt: "For new inquiries, press 1. For an existing order, press 2. For partnerships, press 3. To go back, press star."
• Key mappings:

Key	Routes To
1	Connect (New Sales team)
2	Connect (Orders team)
3	Connect (BD team)
*	Back to Level 1 IVR
Timeout	Repeat Level 2
Invalid	"That is not a valid option" → Repeat Level 2

Step 5: Configure Level 2 IVR (Support)

• Prompt: "For technical support, press 1. For billing, press 2. For account issues, press 3. To go back, press star."
• Key mappings: Similar structure, each key routing to the appropriate Connect applet.

Step 6: Add "Go Back" Navigation

Allow callers to return to the previous menu:

• Reserve the * key for "go back to the previous menu."
• Connect the * output of each Level 2 IVR to the Level 1 IVR applet.

Level 2 (Sales sub-menu)
    → * pressed → Level 1 IVR (main menu)

tip

Always offer a "go back" option. Callers who accidentally choose the wrong option should not have to hang up and redial. Reserving * for "go back" and 0 for "speak to an operator" across all levels creates a consistent, intuitive navigation experience.

Step 7: Add Fallback at Every Level

Every IVR level should have:

Scenario	Action
Timeout (no input)	Repeat the prompt (max 2-3 times), then route to operator
Invalid input	Play error message, repeat the prompt
Max retries exceeded	Route to operator or voicemail

Using Sub-Flows for Complex IVR

For very large IVR structures, break each department's sub-menu into a separate call flow and use the Transfer applet to connect them:

Main Flow:
    Greeting → Level 1 IVR
        → 1: Transfer (Sales Sub-Flow)
        → 2: Transfer (Support Sub-Flow)
        → 3: Transfer (Information Sub-Flow)

Sales Sub-Flow:
    Level 2 IVR → Connect (various sales teams)

Support Sub-Flow:
    Level 2 IVR → Connect (various support teams)

Advantages of sub-flows:

• Each flow is simpler and easier to maintain.
• Different teams can manage their own sub-flows independently.
• Changes to one department's menu do not affect others.

Dynamic Multi-Level IVR

For businesses with frequently changing menus (e.g., seasonal products, dynamic teams), build the IVR dynamically using the Passthru applet:

Level 1 IVR → Caller presses 1
    → Passthru (send selection to your server)
    → Your server returns the Level 2 menu options
    → Level 2 IVR plays dynamically

This allows you to update menu options on your server without modifying the Exotel call flow.

Multi-Language IVR

Use the first IVR level for language selection:

Level 1: "For English, press 1. Hindi ke liye 2 dabayein."
    → 1: Level 2 (English): "Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support"
    → 2: Level 2 (Hindi): "Bikri ke liye 1 dabayein, sahayata ke liye 2 dabayein"

Each language path leads to the appropriate language-specific agents.

IVR Menu Design Guidelines

Guideline	Recommendation
Options per level	Maximum 5 (ideally 3-4)
Total levels	Maximum 3 (ideally 2)
Prompt length	Under 15 seconds per level
Most common option	Listed first
Operator option	Available at every level (Press 0)
Go back option	Available at Level 2+ (Press *)
Timeout	5-7 seconds per level
Max retries	2-3 per level

Measuring IVR Effectiveness

Track these metrics to optimize your multi-level IVR:

Metric	What It Reveals	Action If Poor
Completion rate	Percentage of callers who reach an agent	Simplify the menu if below 80%
Drop-off rate per level	Where callers hang up	Reduce options or levels where drop-off is high
Average time in IVR	How long callers spend navigating	Shorten prompts or reduce levels
Option distribution	Which options are most popular	Put popular options first
Zero-out rate	How often callers press 0 for operator	High rate suggests IVR is frustrating

Best Practices

• Put the most popular option first -- If 60% of callers want Support, make it option 1.
• Keep prompts concise -- "Press 1 for Sales" is better than "If you would like to speak with our sales department, please press 1 now."
• Maintain consistent conventions -- Use * for back and 0 for operator at every level.
• Offer a shortcut for repeat callers -- If a caller always selects the same path, use Sticky Agent or Smart Routing to skip the IVR.
• Test with real users -- Ask team members or customers to navigate the IVR and provide feedback.
• Review analytics monthly -- Use drop-off data to identify and fix problem areas.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
Caller gets stuck in a loop	Back navigation connects to wrong IVR	Verify * key connections in the flow
Level 2 prompt not playing	Connection between Level 1 and Level 2 IVR missing	Check flow connections
Caller reaches wrong department	Key mapping incorrect	Verify key-to-applet mappings at each level
IVR feels too long	Too many options or levels	Reduce to 2 levels with 4 options each
Callers always press 0	IVR menu not helpful	Redesign menu structure based on caller needs

Related

• IVR Setup
• Setting Up a Call Flow
• Flow Builder
• Smart Routing
• Greeting Message